Raqqa Hosts the Third Dialogue Session within the Project “Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion”
The city of Raqqa hosted the third dialogue session of the project “Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion”, organized by the Right Defense Initiative in partnership with De facto Organization. The session witnessed broad participation from human rights activists, community representatives, and a number of civil society actors engaged in issues of justice and peace.
These dialogue sessions aim to create a safe space for discussion and the exchange of perspectives, with the purpose of promoting the values of justice, consolidating the principles of civil peace, and building bridges of trust among the diverse components of society in North and East Syria.
The third session focused on three main themes:
- Transitional Justice: participants discussed the concept of transitional justice as an essential process for post conflict societies. This approach is grounded in uncovering the truth, holding perpetrators accountable, providing reparations to victims, and ensuring non-repetition of violations. It was emphasized that achieving justice is not limited to trials alone, but also encompasses institutional reform, documentation, and community reconciliation as fundamental steps toward lasting stability.
- Civil Peace in Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor:
Participants examined the key challenges hindering the stability of local communities in the region, including the long-lasting impacts of war, widespread unemployment, social divisions, and the weakness of essential services. The interventions stressed that addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach that strengthens the role of community-led initiatives and ensures the active participation of all societal groups in reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts. Such an approach would reinforce the values of coexistence and strengthen social ties based on justice and equality. - Hate Speech and the Role of Media and Social Media Platforms:
The session addressed the impact of media and online platforms in shaping public opinion. Participants emphasized the dangers of hate speech in fueling social divisions and reproducing violence, while highlighting the positive role that media outlets and social media platforms can play in promoting a culture of tolerance, strengthening values of dialogue, and countering misleading or inflammatory narratives through responsible communication grounded in respect for human rights.
The session concluded with a set of interventions and recommendations that emphasized the importance of holding such dialogue meetings on a regular basis, as an effective means of engaging the local community in shaping a shared vision for a more just and stable future. Participants stressed that civil peace can only be achieved through genuine community partnership that prioritizes the rights of victims and places the collective interest of society above divisions.
This session is part of a broader series of meetings organized under the project “Together for Civil Peace and Social Cohesion”, which aims to consolidate the values of justice and peace, and to build a more cohesive and equitable society grounded in the principles of human rights and citizenship.